Method of hardening the flanges of cast-steel wheels.



J. STUART.

METHOD OF HARDENING THE FLANGES 0F CAST STEEL WHEELS. APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1912.

1, 1 02,8 1 6. Patented July 7, 1914.

(TED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JOSEPH ST'fi'ART, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO LOBDELL CAR WHEEL COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD OF HARDENING THE FLANGES 0F CAST-STEEL WHEELS Specification of Letters P t n Patented July "t, T914.

1912. Serial No. 691,274.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH STUART, a citizen of the United States, residing in \Vilmington, county of Newcastle, State of Delaware, have invented certain Improvements in the Method of Hardening the Flanges of Cast-Steel Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the method of casting steel wheels with hardened flanges.

The object of my invention is to harden that portion of the flange of a car wheel which adjoins the tread surface of the wheel, as this portion of a wheel is subjected to considerable wear and usually has not been properly hardened to withstand the same.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1, is a sectional view of the mold in which my improved process is carried out; Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional view of the chill of the mold; and Fig. 3, is a sectional diagram view, showing the tread of the wheel and the hardened flange.

A and A are the two parts of the mold mounted in the flask in the ordinary manner and supported by the bottom board B. Located between the two sections of the mold is the annular iron chill member C. The inner wall 0 of this ring is shaped to con: form to the outline of the wheel. In the present instance, the illustrations show a flanged car wheel.

The wheel D (Fig. 3) has a tread surface d and a flange d. The portion d of the flange, which adjoins the tread surface, is' subjected to the greatest wear, due to the side movement of the wheel against the rail. My invention relates particularly to the method of hardening this portion of the flange.

In the upper portion of the chill member, I form an annular recess 0', as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and in this recess I place a composition, in the present instance consisting of sand, powdered manganese, or other harden-' ing agent, mixed with molasses water; baking the same in said chill so that the hardening material will form a continuation of the surface of the chill. When the chill and the flasks are assembled, as in Fig. 1, and when the molten steel is poured into the mold, it rises and flows over the hardening composition and takes up the hardening material, which is incorporated in the casting and hardens the face 0Z of the flange d of the wheel; the chill section chilling the tread of the steel wheel in the ordinary manner. Thus, by the above method, I amenabled to provide an unusually hard surface on that portion of the flange receiving the greatest wear.

I claim:

1. The method herein described of hardenhaving an annular recess in that portion thereof in which the-flange of the wheel is cast, placing a hardening agent in the recess so that it will have a continuous surface, then pouring the metal in the mold; the metal, as it flows over the portion of the chill in which the hardening agent is located, taking up the hardening agent which is incorporated in the metal, producing a Wheel with an annular hardened flange and a chilled tread.

2. The method herein described of manufacturing flanged cast steel car wheels; said method consisting in making a sand mold and a chill; recessing the chill and placing in said recess a hardening composition consisting of sand, powdered manganese and molasses water; baking the same in 'said chill. whereby the hardening material will form a continuation of the surface of the chill; casting th steel in the mold thus formed and, as the steel flows over the surface of the hardening material, it will take up the said hardening material, which will be incorporated in the face of the flange of the wheel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, JOSEPH STUART.

Witnesses:

Joe. I-I. KLEIN,

WM. A; BARR.

'ing the flange of a wheel,,said method con sisting in first producing a mold of sand with an annular metallic chill, said chill the wheel, the chill hardening the surface of I 

